Kannagi - Voice Actor Appreciation & Discussion

[monir]

The purpose of this thread is to discuss, critique and idolize the Voice Actor cast of Kannagi. Please remember that the discussion should center on their performances as professional voice actors and not on the show content (which can be discussed in the various Episode threads). Please remember this simple rule when critiquing a VA's performance or reading another forum member's critique:

• - Don't take it personally.
  In other words, you’re free to disagree with another person’s opinion, but don’t flame them if they offer a well written and well thought out analysis that differs from your own opinion. Keep it civil.
  
  
• - Voice Actors are humans.
  Yes, it’s true. They’re human. Therefore, don’t just indiscriminately rip them and their work apart as if they’re inorganic objects. You don’t have to praise them non-stop, but be thoughtful in your criticism.

This thread might duplicate some discussion in the Episode threads, but it can also serve to demystify various VA roles, disseminate VA information (VA Bios, VA photos, etc) and provide cast information of various types as well as discussion about performances.

[Kaoru Chujo]

I'm just going to repeat myself about Tomatsu Haruka for a minute. This show has a lot of good points, but she is one of the best. The way she swoops and shifts from one mood and tone to another is just marvelous: motherly goddess, offended goddess, stranger in a strange land delighted to see TV, Yamato nadeshiko, innocent sex kitten, sneaky teen, Tsugumi's friend, self-important clown, etc., etc.

I have always felt that her voice was a bit harsh, but here she puts that sharpness to good use, and by using so many variations makes me forget the edge.

I thought mandarb916 made an interesting point early in the general thread about her timbre being "all over the place," although I thought that was intentional and used to good effect.

Here are a couple of pics from my blog post about her. Click to enlarge:



Sawashiro Miyuki is great as Tsugumi, as well. The soft, throaty voice and the way she uses it just get me on the character's side right away.

It's going to be interesting to hear Hanazawa Kana as Zange. I always think of Kana-chan as the moe ingenue, and I don't think Zange is going to be much of an ingenue, more like a straight-out sneaky goddess, perhaps. I wonder if they took a while to decide which of the two voice actresses would play Nagi and which Zange?

[EmperorBrandon]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

I'm just going to repeat myself about Tomatsu Haruka for a minute. This show has a lot of good points, but she is one of the best. The way she swoops and shifts from one mood and tone to another is just marvelous: motherly goddess, offended goddess, stranger in a strange land delighted to see TV, Yamato nadeshiko, innocent sex kitten, sneaky teen, Tsugumi's friend, self-important clown, etc., etc.

Yeah, I agree. She gets to show a lot of range with the role, and I rather like what I'm hearing, even though Tomatsu Haruka is pretty new to me (I did have a favorable impression of her from Kyouran Kazoku Nikk). I think she was particularly great in episode 3 which I last saw.

[Westlo]

I went in hoping like hell she wouldn't sound like To Love Ru's Lala and came out with one of the better performances of the year. If my liking out of 10 for manga Nagi was an 8 than the anime one has gone up to 9.5, and thats thanks to the wonderful animation and vocal work by Tomatsu Haruka.

[Oxtail]

I've loved Kana Hanazawa ever since she did Kaminagi in Zegapain. Unfortunately, all her characters since have been cute little moe loli's. I'm really interested to see how she does as a mischievous character.

[blitz1/2]

Originally Posted by Westlo

I went in hoping like hell she wouldn't sound like To Love Ru's Lala and came out with one of the better performances of the year. If my liking out of 10 for manga Nagi was an 8 than the anime one has gone up to 9.5, and thats thanks to the wonderful animation and vocal work by Tomatsu Haruka.

haruka and Kana both performed in To love-ru.

Haruka = Lala
Kana = Mikan

[Midonin]

Kyouran Kazoku Nikki too, as Chika and Yuka. And they'll be playing another pair of sisters (Ayame and Kagome) in Asu no Yoichi in January.

[Ottocycle]

The indications are there that she's to be branded as the next big idol in the seiyuu industry. One 5-second glance at her PV for the OP tells me that. Her good looks, strong voice abilities(in both singing and acting) and breakout performance in Kannagi collectively form the springboard from which she's just raring to go.

If the production house is willing to pay for such a huge advertising spot as one in Gundam 00, this has to be the case. Well, at least that's my conclusion.

[Kaoru Chujo]

Originally Posted by Oxtail

I've loved Kana Hanazawa ever since she did Kaminagi in Zegapain. Unfortunately, all her characters since have been cute little moe loli's. I'm really interested to see how she does as a mischievous character.

I dropped Zegapain early, but I really have to go back and see it just to hear her, since everyone says how good she was. I do love her "little moe loli" voice, however: Shiika in Mushiuta, Sora in both Sketchbook and Natsu no Sora. Along with Sasaki Nozomi, I think she has the most moe voice in anime. And her full gamut of grunts and squeaks as Potemayo was amazing.

I guess this is gossip rather than either appreciation or discussion, but the big story about her over the past months has been an old boyfriend from 3-4 years ago posting a pic on 2channel of them together, and saying that they had made love. Her agency has apparently just brushed the supposed scandal off and has stood behind her. It is Office Osawa, a very reputable agency that also has Kawasumi Ayako and Noto Mamiko among its clients. The guy was a fellow-child actor (Kana started in show business quite early) and I'll bet his career is in the dumper, however.

Here are a couple of photos (click to enlarge):

[Cat Megex]

Huh...still no mention of the Norio Wakamoto cameo in episode 4, eh?

[teelotes]

Can you guess who's who?



Source

[Pellissier]

Originally Posted by teelotes

Can you guess who's who?

Yes,

Standing from left to right: Hoshino Takanori (voicing: Daitetsu Hibiki) - Tetsuya Hayamizu (Akiba Meguru) - Hayamizu Risa (Kimura Takako) - Nakahara Mai (Ookuchi Shino)

Sitting, left to right: Hanazawa Kana (Zange/Hakua), Tomatsu Haruka (Nagi), Shimono Hiro (Mikuriya Jin) - Sawashiro Miyuki (Aoba Tsugumi).


Tomatsu Haruka rookie of the year all the way, if you ask me

[Kaoru Chujo]

Daitetsu's singing in ep10 just bowled me over, so I did a little research on him and posted something in the ep10 thread, with pics

As you can see from the pic posted by teelotes, he's very tall (190cm=6'3"). He is a multi-talented stage actor and played Van in GunxSword. He has done a number of boys' love CDs and is sometimes known as "the Strawberry prince," partly because he grew up on a strawberry farm.

[phishn37]

I just voted for Haruka Tomatsu for the overseas vote in the seiyuu awards!

Love love her as Nagi-san!!

[Shadow Kira01]

I like the way Akiba says, "It's a Sony!"

Unfortunately, most people don't have Blu-Ray or Beta VHS.

[Cat Megex]

He has done a number of boys' love CDs

...I find this somewhat lulzy, considering what many people in the world of Kannagi seem to think of the relationship between Jin and Daitetsu. XD

[Falkor]

What would happen if Haruka Tomatsu and Kana Hanazawa were to switch their roles? j1m0ne posted this special from the fourth dvd (the lovely scene in the gym storage room):

* That was a really good version of Zange. I'm pretty sure the girls enjoy playing the evil/sadistic characters... there's no other way to explain it. :P
* Either Nagi is a very difficult character to voice or Hanazawa was not really trying...
* I would love to see the other seiyuus doing this...

[germanturkey]

doesn't really sound like Nagi... but Zange is pretty close.